Spinning my wheels

I was riding around the hood yesterday getting a feel for my new fork on the 29er (see post below). I was wishing trails were dry so I could really test it out but Mother Nature hasn't been very nice to dirt riders in these parts lately.

So there I was, spinning my brains out wishing that I had more of a road gear on my 29er. Which I got to thinking that today I would buy a new smaller (15 or 16t) freewheel for city riding.

I haven't been on my 29er since October so I figure if the trails are gonna be wet some street riding on it wouldn't' be a bad idea to get me used to the feel of the bike again.

This will require a different gear.

Wouldn't it nice if some one made a double freewheel?

Kinda like Surly's Dingle Cog?

Turns out someone does, namely White Industries.

I have a White Industries freewheel on my racing cross bike now and love it.

It bounces back and forth between my cross bike and my 29er.

It was expensive, I only have one, and luckily both my cross bike and 29er run the same gear on the rear.

Now if I had a WI double freewheel it would be like having the best of both worlds.

No more spinning my brains out for no speed on the road or not being able to muscle my way down the trail.

And no pulling off the wheel, getting out the chain whip and freewheel remover to do it.

I am liking this idea.

I am going to inquire to WI to see what I can get a double freewheel for and then possibly order myself up the 16/18 for the 29er.

Seems like a great idea and I am glad to discover that someone makes one.

OK... that's enough from me for now, back to work.

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I just got off the phone with White Industries. Ordered my 16/18 double freewheel and it will ship tomorrow.

I bet I have it by the weekend!!

Woo! Woo!

Gotta stop spending money on bike parts and pay some rent and bills...

or me and all my bikes will be living out of my van down by the river.

Done and Done!

My new On-One fork arrived at the shop Saturday

I ran out this morning and installed it

Now all my spring changes have been made to the Karate Monkey

LD purple Surly hubs have QR axles with Hope skewers

Front Avid BB-7 brake has been dropped to a 160 rotor (did have an 8 inch)

New SRAM 8 speed chain (old one was beyond stretched)

New Surly stainless seat post clamp

I have been considering painting the frame a different color

But I decided its not worth the time, trouble or expense

Even if I am biting Rottenmac's style

Besides, I like "Skid Mark Brown"

Now that I have used up the nice sunny but windy 70 degree Sunday morning I am gonna pull on some SPD shoes and take the KM up and down the Trolley Trail a couple of times before the temps drop and the predicted rain arrives today.

Whats up this weekend?

Well since you asked I'll tell you.

Friday night (02/29/08)
Critical Mass
Meet at the Sunfresh in Westport 630-ish
(Not sure if I will be there or not due to other plans)

The Sex Police!
The Brooksider 11PM to close
SKA/Reggae/rocksteady classics
21+
(this I will be at)

Saturday (03/01/08)
No real plans but I wanna ride my bike and maybe have a beer or two.
What I do will strongly depend on if Sunday's race is postponed or not.

Sunday (03/02/08)
Heartland Mountain Bike Championship Series race #1
Landahl Park in Blue Springs, MO
Bike race at noon
Trail run at 8AM
See http://heartlandrace.com
***these races Sunday have the potential to be postponed due to trail conditions.
The HSP staff is waiting on the weather and will announce if the race is a Yea! or Na! Friday morning on the HSP website.
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Not sure if I want Sunday's race to be postponed or not.
I would like to ride my 29er since I think the last time I was on it on a trail was at Homie Fall Fest in MPLS back in October.
But I also think that some time to get an off road ride or two under my belt before my first race wouldn't be a bad idea either.
So far this MTB race season is starting off strikingly similar to '07.
My first MTB ride of the year was also a race... and early season postponements killed my MTB race season. I don't' want this to happen, again.
However, I would also like to put the first race off for another reason. I have parts on order for my 29er that haven't arrived yet.
Waiting on my On-One Carbon SL fork (not sure how long that will take since its jumping the pond from the UK), my new axles to convert my Surly bolt on hubs to quick release, and I still want to lay a fresh coat of paint and some new decals on my 29er. But hell if that doesn't happen it doesn't happen.
I would just like to ride on some dirt.
Real DIRT, not frozen mud, mud, snow, or any sort of slush crap.

I guess all I do is to hurry up and wait.

I hate waiting.